Corporate Directors Validate Education Programs for Advancing Exemplary Board Leadership

WASHINGTON, June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Given the increasing focus from investors, government officials and the media on the activities of corporate boards, directors are renewing their focus on best practices in the boardroom.  This fact is evidenced by the popularity and accolades for the National Association of Corporate Directors' (NACD) Director Professionalism Courses, which bring together some of the nation's most experienced governance experts/directors who facilitate discussions among peers around leading practices and ways to improve boardroom effectiveness.  

The course is nationally recognized for providing the educational grounding required for effective directorship. For the past five years, new public company directors have embraced the comprehensive, two day program as a source of education and insight, as well as experienced directors committed to remaining current on fiduciary responsibilities.

"The recent spate of high profile crises facing companies such as BP, Toyota, Goldman Sachs and Massey Energy has placed the actions – and inactions – of not only executives but corporate boards in the spotlight," said Ken Daly, President and CEO, National Association of Corporate Directors.  "Now more than ever before, responsibility and accountability is personal for directors and the NACD is committed to helping board members prepare for and successfully meet the challenges.  We are pleased that this year's first two sessions in Scottsdale and Philadelphia achieved the highest ratings ever from attendees and look forward to our upcoming courses in Laguna Beach and Tampa later in 2010."

A foundation for the course is the NACD Key Agreed Principles set forth in NACD's Leading the Way initiative, a national effort representing areas where the board, executive management, and shareholder groups agree on benchmarks of good governance. The principles serve as a framework for advocating leading practices in areas including risk oversight, corporate strategy, compensation and transparency.

"Even as an experienced board member, this course exceeded my expectations. Delivered by excellent and knowledgeable presenters, the content was comprehensive, current and practical," said Fran Contino, chairman of the audit committee of Mettler-Toledo International Inc., former CFO and director of McCormick & Company. "With the rapidly changing world of corporate governance, Director Professionalism is a 'must-attend' for all directors who take their jobs seriously."

The next Director Professionalism course will take place in Laguna Beach, CA, August 24-25, 2010, and the agenda features active directors from AstraZeneca PLC, Continental Airlines, SunTrust Bank, and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Topics to be presented and discussed include legislative/regulatory initiatives on corporate governance, leading practices in risk governance, mergers and acquisitions, board committee work, board composition, and M&A and shareowner relations post-bill.  Following this course, directors may also attend the December 6-7 sessions in Tampa, FL.

The Director Professionalism curriculum consists of the highest quality corporate governance content, backed by research findings, leading practices, faculty and peer expertise, current regulatory requirements, and annual recommendations of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commissions. The program is highly interactive, facilitating a valuable exchange of knowledge among peers, led by tenured directors on some of the world's leading boards. Completion is required to obtain NACD's Certificate of Director Education.

For more information please visit NACDonline.org/dp or call 202-572-2088.

NACD is also preparing for its annual Corporate Governance Conference in Washington, D.C. October 16-19.  More than 700 directors and executives from publicly traded companies including Caterpillar, FedEx, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Royal Dutch Shell, Jet Blue, etc. will gather to expand their director networks and gain new insights from sessions including:  The SEC Agenda for 2011 with Chairman Mary Schapiro; Crisis Communications: The Board's Role; Performance Metrics That Make a Difference; Audit Committee Effectiveness: Tasking the C-Suite; and Courageous Board Leadership.  For more information about each session and to view the full conference agenda, visit NACDonline.org/conference.

About NACD

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the only membership organization delivering the information and insights that corporate board members need to confidently navigate complex business challenges and enhance shareowner value. With more than 10,000 members, NACD advances exemplary board leadership.  NACD is focused on creating more effective and efficient boards through director-led education and peer forums to share ideas and leading practices based on more than 30 years of primary research. Fostering collaboration among directors and governance stakeholders, NACD is shaping the future of board leadership.  To learn more about NACD, visit NACDonline.org.

SOURCE National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD)